Post by Mark on Oct 31, 2008 3:43:30 GMT -8
There are only two times in the New Testament that Messiah is recorded as having declared sins forgiven. The first time is of a man sick with palsey who was lowered into the house by his friends (Matthew 9:2, Mark 2:5, Luke 5:20). The second time was the woman who washed Messiah’s feet with her hair in Luke 7:48. Both times, those who heard this declaration were absolutely scandalized by it. "No one can forgive sins except Adonai! Was this man declaring himself to be God?"
Their position was not entirely accurate. In Deuteronomy 18:18-19 it was prophesied that One would come in the power and authority of Moses who would speak and do on behalf of Adonai because the people were not willing to hear Adonai directly (Deuteronomy 18:15-16). Adonai said. "I will raise up a prophet from among their brethren, like you (Moses), and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him." (Deuteronomy 18:18).
What is further is that conditions of authenticity were placed upon this "Prophet" to distinguish Him from others who may presmptuously speak in the name of Adonai. Deuteronomy 18:20-21 establishes the credentials of that Prophet as being able to "fulfill His Word." Messiah Yeshua responds to the crowd that is wondering at His audacity in accordance to the conditions of Deuteronomy 18:20-21:
"Which is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, ‘Your sins be forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Rise up, take up your bed, and walk?’ But so that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (he says to the sick of the palsy,) I say to you, ‘Rise up, take up your bed, and go your way into your house.’"
And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
(Mark 2:9-12)
In Galatians 4:4, Messiah is described as being "made under the Law." Philippians 2;8 described Messiah as having walked in this life as "obedient." In John 5:30, Messiah Himself declares,
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."
It is a strange balance that Messiah Yeshua must have walked, having authority over all things in heaven and earth; and yet walking humbly, under authority, speaking nothing but exactly as commanded from above. Declaring the man with palsy, and later the unreputable woman, forgiven of their sins was a pretty authoritative thing to do; but had He not done so, as The Prophet described in Deuteronomy 18, He would have been guilty of disobeying the command of Adonai Himself, even if for His own purposes of presenting Himself as "humble and lowly’, would be rebelling against the specific command of the Father.
Sometimes what we do and how we behave are misjudged by those around us because they do not undestand the dynamics of the circumstances involved. Walking in obedience can easily be interpretted as putting on a show or trying to appear superior to those around us. There is a strange sense of pressure against biblical obedience, wanting to appear inviting or at least not reclusive. There is a definite aversion to being put in the spot-light, under the scrutiny of those who have their own ideas of what it means to "live godly" and not be judgmental.
One woman told me that she could never raise her hands in worship for fear that others may think she was trying to appear holy. In humility, she rejected the instructions of the Holy Spirit to per personally, for fear of what others may think. I did not begin to wear my tallit katan for a long time, for fear that others may think that I was following another man, as opposed to being obedient to the command. It is amazing to find that we are quite often placed in exactly the same situation that our Messiah faced, having to choose between what Adonai says and how we know that others will perceive us. It is not an easy decision. It could not have been easy for Messiah Yeshua. More than His credibility was at stake.
In Deuteronomy 13:1-5 demands that if anyone teaches so as to draw men away from Adonai, even if they validate their message with miracles, that person must be put to death. The miracle does not validate the prophecy that turns men toward idolatry. If the leaders of the nation recognized Messiah’s words as declaring He was God instead of Adonai, they should rightfully have drawn Him out to the city gates and there stoned Him. His words, however, were specifically chosen and obedient, in submission to the authority of Adonai and within the structure outlined within the Scriptures: so much so that the Pharisees were amazed.
In the same way, we can’t be hap-hazard or run pre-maturely in our ideas of obedience. It is easy to quickly jump into something so that we may appear zealous for Adonai when, in fact, we are trying to appear holy or wishing to stand out. Our obedience to Adonai must be sincere and well-reasoned, even when it goes against the grain of our culture; but never for the
purpose of going against others or so that we appear different.
Walking in our Messianic faith is walking in obedience to Adonai in every aspect of our lives. It is a difficult course. Often we may try to make it easier by avoiding to obey in areas He has commanded us to act differently or against the reason of those who are around us. Sometimes we may try to make it easier by assuming strange or unusual behavior to draw attention to ourselves, making us more distinct from those who might be inclined to judge us. Both courses are rebellion against the Spirit of Adona; and had Messiah Yeshua been guilty of either, He would have failed to be the spotless sacrifice for our sins.
When we are commanded to walk, even as our Messiah walked, we are commanded to walk in obedience: not in zealous extreme nor in passive acceptance. He are to live Holy, because He is holy.
Their position was not entirely accurate. In Deuteronomy 18:18-19 it was prophesied that One would come in the power and authority of Moses who would speak and do on behalf of Adonai because the people were not willing to hear Adonai directly (Deuteronomy 18:15-16). Adonai said. "I will raise up a prophet from among their brethren, like you (Moses), and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him." (Deuteronomy 18:18).
What is further is that conditions of authenticity were placed upon this "Prophet" to distinguish Him from others who may presmptuously speak in the name of Adonai. Deuteronomy 18:20-21 establishes the credentials of that Prophet as being able to "fulfill His Word." Messiah Yeshua responds to the crowd that is wondering at His audacity in accordance to the conditions of Deuteronomy 18:20-21:
"Which is easier to say to the sick of the palsy, ‘Your sins be forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Rise up, take up your bed, and walk?’ But so that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (he says to the sick of the palsy,) I say to you, ‘Rise up, take up your bed, and go your way into your house.’"
And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
(Mark 2:9-12)
In Galatians 4:4, Messiah is described as being "made under the Law." Philippians 2;8 described Messiah as having walked in this life as "obedient." In John 5:30, Messiah Himself declares,
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."
It is a strange balance that Messiah Yeshua must have walked, having authority over all things in heaven and earth; and yet walking humbly, under authority, speaking nothing but exactly as commanded from above. Declaring the man with palsy, and later the unreputable woman, forgiven of their sins was a pretty authoritative thing to do; but had He not done so, as The Prophet described in Deuteronomy 18, He would have been guilty of disobeying the command of Adonai Himself, even if for His own purposes of presenting Himself as "humble and lowly’, would be rebelling against the specific command of the Father.
Sometimes what we do and how we behave are misjudged by those around us because they do not undestand the dynamics of the circumstances involved. Walking in obedience can easily be interpretted as putting on a show or trying to appear superior to those around us. There is a strange sense of pressure against biblical obedience, wanting to appear inviting or at least not reclusive. There is a definite aversion to being put in the spot-light, under the scrutiny of those who have their own ideas of what it means to "live godly" and not be judgmental.
One woman told me that she could never raise her hands in worship for fear that others may think she was trying to appear holy. In humility, she rejected the instructions of the Holy Spirit to per personally, for fear of what others may think. I did not begin to wear my tallit katan for a long time, for fear that others may think that I was following another man, as opposed to being obedient to the command. It is amazing to find that we are quite often placed in exactly the same situation that our Messiah faced, having to choose between what Adonai says and how we know that others will perceive us. It is not an easy decision. It could not have been easy for Messiah Yeshua. More than His credibility was at stake.
In Deuteronomy 13:1-5 demands that if anyone teaches so as to draw men away from Adonai, even if they validate their message with miracles, that person must be put to death. The miracle does not validate the prophecy that turns men toward idolatry. If the leaders of the nation recognized Messiah’s words as declaring He was God instead of Adonai, they should rightfully have drawn Him out to the city gates and there stoned Him. His words, however, were specifically chosen and obedient, in submission to the authority of Adonai and within the structure outlined within the Scriptures: so much so that the Pharisees were amazed.
In the same way, we can’t be hap-hazard or run pre-maturely in our ideas of obedience. It is easy to quickly jump into something so that we may appear zealous for Adonai when, in fact, we are trying to appear holy or wishing to stand out. Our obedience to Adonai must be sincere and well-reasoned, even when it goes against the grain of our culture; but never for the
purpose of going against others or so that we appear different.
Walking in our Messianic faith is walking in obedience to Adonai in every aspect of our lives. It is a difficult course. Often we may try to make it easier by avoiding to obey in areas He has commanded us to act differently or against the reason of those who are around us. Sometimes we may try to make it easier by assuming strange or unusual behavior to draw attention to ourselves, making us more distinct from those who might be inclined to judge us. Both courses are rebellion against the Spirit of Adona; and had Messiah Yeshua been guilty of either, He would have failed to be the spotless sacrifice for our sins.
When we are commanded to walk, even as our Messiah walked, we are commanded to walk in obedience: not in zealous extreme nor in passive acceptance. He are to live Holy, because He is holy.
